DBS-C01 Monitoring and Troubleshooting Practice Question
A team is troubleshooting an Amazon RDS for SQL Server instance that is running out of storage. The instance uses General Purpose SSD (gp2) storage. The team wants to increase storage without downtime. Which action should they take?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Modify the DB instance to increase allocated storage.
Amazon RDS allows you to modify the allocated storage for a DB instance dynamically without downtime; the change takes effect during the next maintenance window or can be applied immediately. Option A is incorrect because migrating from gp2 to gp3 changes the storage type but does not increase the storage capacity. Option B is incorrect because adding a read replica does not increase storage on the primary instance; it only offloads read traffic. Option C is incorrect because while you can restore a snapshot to a larger instance, this process involves downtime and is not as straightforward as modifying the storage directly.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Migrate to gp3 storage.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the storage type from gp2 to gp3 does not increase the storage capacity; it only changes the performance characteristics.
- ✗
Add a read replica to offload queries.
Why it's wrong here
Adding a read replica offloads read traffic but does not increase the storage available on the primary DB instance.
- ✗
Take a snapshot and restore to a larger instance.
Why it's wrong here
Taking a snapshot and restoring to a larger instance requires the instance to be unavailable during the restore process, which violates the requirement for zero downtime. This method is tempting because it is a standard way to migrate to a different instance class or storage configuration when brief downtime is acceptable, such as during a planned maintenance window.
- ✓
Modify the DB instance to increase allocated storage.
Why this is correct
Modifying the DB instance to increase allocated storage can be done without downtime, as RDS supports dynamic storage scaling.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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